Coniston Water

Visit Coniston Water for a world away from it all. The unspoilt shoreline and surrounding landscape of low fells and woodlands make for excellent cycling country and a great active day out for all the family!

Leave Behind the Hustle and Bustle

Although only a few miles west of Windermere, Coniston Water feels like a million miles away, a place where the hustle and bustle of day to day life is left behind. The minor roads and tracks cater for a range of fitness levels and capabilities.

Start in Coniston

The easiest and most obvious starting point for most excursions is the village of Coniston itself, which you’ll find on the north western side of the lake. An easy family bike ride from here leads you in a southerly direction along the old railway line which at one time would have carried copper and slate from the local mines to the coast. This trip takes about two hours but of course there are alternative and longer routes you can choose.

More Energy?

For more ambitious families, the starting point should be the easterly side of Consiton Water where a tranquil minor road wraps round almost the entire shoreline and various points along it give access to the extensive network of tracks in Grizedale Forest. There’s a useful colour coded map to indicate the difficulty of each route. The journey on your bikes from Coniston village to High Nibthwaite (the length of the lake) and back is just over 19km.

Cruising on the Water

You can avoid the initial section of this longer route by opting to take the cruise boat on the lake and then riding back from the landing point at Water Park. An even more challenging route involves the bridleway that climbs up on to the fell side behind the lake. You’ll be rewarded for your efforts over the difficult terrain with the spectacular views over the Coniston range.

Highlight of the Day

Being out in the fresh and and being active with your treasured family.

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One thought on “Coniston Water”

Coniston is a delightful place to visit, the people are friendly, & there’s some really nice shops selling local produce. There’s plenty of places to get a meal, & very good menu choices, vegetarians won’t have a problem finding some lovely meals. After my friend & I had looked round the village we followed the Hawkshead road until we found a lakeside car park with a lovely path along the side of the lake. It’s not very long, but on the day we were there it was quite quiet which was great, there’s some benches, & a couple of people had brought their own fold up seats so that they could sit right at the edge of the lake. The walk along the path was very enjoyable, & the scenery was beautiful, we took many photos. At the end of the path there’s a jetty out into the lake that’s great for taking photos from, at one point a boat pulled alongside asking if we wanted a lift to the other side, it was an official one, but we were happy where we were, so stayed just listening to the birds, & watching the Swans & Ducks on on the lake. I totally recommend Coniston, both the village, & the lakeside walk, it’s just a beautiful area.